Day 11 Diseases Nervous - Bacterial

Microbiology 9-30-26

How is tetanus caused?

Clostridium tetani (endospores).

How is tetanus transmitted?

Spores enter skin wound,

infants → if umbilical cord with nonsterile instrument and mom is unvaccinated.

How is tetanus prevented?

TDaP/DTaP vaccine,

good wound care.

How is Botulism caused?

Clostridium botulinum (endospores).

How is Botulism transmitted?

Honey in babies under 1 year old,

improperly canned food,

baked potatoes → buffet,

endospores in a wound.

How is Botulism prevented?

No honey in babies under 1 year old,

no improperly canned food,

no baked potatoes → buffet.

How is listeriosis caused?

Listeria monocytogenes (lives in phagocytes).

How is listeriosis transmitted?

Produce,

soft cheese,

deli meat.

How is listeriosis prevented?

No soft cheese or deli meat when pregnant.

(Ch. 6 Viruses and prions) What does acellular mean?

Not cells.

What are some characteristics of viruses?

Acellular,

no metabolism,

obligate intracellular parasites → need a host to reproduce.

What are some components of virus structure?

Usually smaller than bacteria,

cause most new dieases.

What is the virus structure made of?

Genome: DNA or RNA,

capsid: proteins protecting genome,

envelope: cell membrane stolen from host cell.

What is the extracellular state?

When virus is outside of cell,

called virion.

What are the benefits of an envelope?

Provides protection,

can help hide from immune system,

allows attachment to our cells.

What is the intracellular state?

When a virus is inside a cell,

called virus,

exists as a genome,

new strain/variant of virus created when spike proteins are altered → during replication or transcription.

What are viral genomes?

Very small,

DNA or RNA,

double-stranded (DS) or single-stranded (SS),

circular, linear, or segmented.

What is a DNA genome?

Fewer errors due to proofreading of DNA Pol.

What is an RNA genome?

More errors because RNA pol cannot proofread,

EXCEPTION: COVID’s RNA pol can proofread.

What is an attenuated strain?

Weakened,

can still reproduce,

BUT should not cause a severe infection IF you have a normal immune system,

good to use in “live” vaccines.